Snippet: The Tragedy of FireWire ☇

Richard C. Moss for Ars Technica:

Yet FireWire’s principal creator, Apple, nearly killed it before it could appear in a single device. And eventually the Cupertino company effectively did kill FireWire, just as it seemed poised to dominate the industry.

The story of how FireWire came to market and ultimately fell out of favor serves today as a fine reminder that no technology, however promising, well-engineered, or well-liked, is immune to inter- and intra-company politics or to our reluctance to step outside our comfort zone.

As someone who studied media production in the mid-2000s, FireWire was a technology I utilized on a daily basis, along with MiniDV tapes. As an interface, it always felt more civilized than USB, especially as it was so closely associated with Apple (and I know the iMac helped bring USB to the masses). Still, this is a great look back at the development of the interface and its ultimate demise.